Surgical pad with digit loop and method of making the same



June 21, 1955 J D|GATE 2,711,166

SURGICAL PAD WITH DIGIT LOOP AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 18, 1955 IHVEI: Tar Jww'ss S. 3/6/1715 SURGICAL PAD WITH DIGIT LOOP AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 2,711,166 Patented June 21 1955 and novel method of making a surgical pad having a digit James S. Digate, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Scholl Mfg. Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Application September 18, 1953, Serial No. 380,917

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-80) This invention relates to improvements in a surgical pad with a digit loop and method of making the same, and more particularly to a surgical pad highly desirable for application to the human foot with the digit loop encircling a toe to hold the pad in proper position on the foot, although it will be understood that the same structure could be used on the hand with the digit loop engaged over a finger, if so desired, and the structure may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of surgical pads, particularly those for treating and relieving various affiictions of the human foot, have been developed with some form of digit or toe loop thereon. Difficulty has been experienced in economically providing a toe loop that is comfortable to the user, because if the toe loop was made integral and in the same plane with the body portion of the pad, it would have to be forcibly offset to engage over the toe and uncomfortable buckling or wrinkling of the loop would occur. In order to provide a loop offset from the plane of the pad and one which would flatly encircle the toe, rather than edgewise, necessitated the provision of the loop as a separate piece in most cases, considerably adding to the cost of manufacture. Further, difliculty was experienced in providing a comfortable toe or digit loop on a surgical pad, especially if t the loop was located on the body of the pad in an offset location so as to render the device individual to aright or left foot. Such is particularly desirable in connection with a cushioning pad to underlie the metartarsal arch of a foot for the alleviation of callosities and the like.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a surgical pad having a digit loop offset to one side of the plane of the pad body, and with the entire structure made of one piece.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a surgical pad having a digit loop oifset from the plane of the pad body, but integral therewith.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a surgical pad having a digit loop offset from the plane of the pad body, the entire structure being made of an initially flat one piece blank of material.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provi-- sion of a surgical pad having an offset digit loop to render the pad individual to a right or left foot or hand, the construction being such that the same identical one piece blank may be utilized to make either a right or left pad.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel blank of material from which a surgical pad having a digit loop offset from the plane of the pad may easily be shaped.

Still a further object resides in the provision of a novel blank of material from which a surgical pad having a digit loop offset from the plane of the pad may easily be constructed, and the same blank may be used for constructing a pad individual to either the right or left foot.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide a new loop attached thereto.

, While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the surgical pad is constructed; Figure 2 illustrates the blank of Fig. 1 after being shaped into the desired formation;

Figure 3 is a plan view'of the other face ofthe same blank as seen in Fig. 1; 7

Figure 4 illustratesthe finished pad resulting from the use of the blank in the position seen in Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a completed pad with an additional cushioning element attached thereto; and j Figure 6 is a'transverse sectional view through the structure of Fig. 5. taken substantially as indicated by the line VI-Vl, looking in the direction of the arrows.

As shown on the drawings: 7 While the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention has been shown in the form of a surgical pad individual to a right or left foot, it will be understood that by an obvious alteration in construction, the digit loop associated with the pad may be centered relatively to the body portion if so desired. 1 It will also be understood that a surgical pad having a digit loop might be utilized on the hand of a user as well as on the foot, but for purposes of illustration the present invention is set forth of callosities on the sole of the foot, forgiving added sup-' port to the metatarsal arch, etc.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a pattern or blank, generally indicated by numeral 1, and from which a pad indi-' vidual to either a right or left foot may be formed. The blank 1 may be of any suitable cushioning material, such for example as foam latex, soft felt or the like, and may be of a single piece construction or a laminated structure as may be desired. The blank includes a body portion 2 of generally oval contour having a notch 3 at one side thereof. One side edge of the notch and the adjacent circumferential edge of the body merge into a goose neck 4 which extends outwardly from the body and then laterally away from the notch. This goose neck terminates in an inwardly extending terminal end or head 5 shaped complementally w the notch.

Now in forming the pad, the terminal end or head 5 of the goose neck is raised, rotated a complete revolution,-

and inserted into the notch in the position seen in Fig. 2. The marginal edges of the head 5 may then be secured to the edges of the notch 3 in any suitable manner, such as by a line of adhesive 6. This manipulation forms the goose neck into a digit loop which flatly embraces the digit, which is offset from the plane of the body 2, and when attached to a digit there is no wrinkling or buckling in any location. Further, it will be noted that the same side of the pad is present in the body 2 and attached head 5, and follows the inside of the digit loop formed from the goose neck 4.

Now it will be noted that the goose neck extends from the body of the pad at one side of the notch 3, and therefore to one side of the median line of the pad; Consequently when the loop is formed from the goose neck, as seen in Fig. 2, this loop is offset from the median line of the pad, and the particular pad illustrated in Fig. 2 has the loop in proper position to engage over the second toe of the foot, with the oval pad having a long axis extending slantwise in keeping with the metatarsal 3 arch lot the foot-.- The'pad illustrated'in Fig;--2 consequently is for use on a right foot.

Now a pad for the left foot may be made from identically the same blank. .In order to better illustrate thisiprpcedureyin Fig-.3 I have-shown the.same blank 1 inverted, that is with the opposite faceuppermost. The.

goose ,neck ,4 now extendsto therightrather than to the left as in Fig. l, and-when ,the-head or. terminal end S isprotated one complete revolution .and brought toward the-left and secured innthe notch as above described, it will be noted that the resulting loop is tothe right of the mediandine-of the .pad,..to engage over the second toe of the left foot, and the long axis of the oval body 2 slopes outwardly inkeeping with the metatarsal arch of the left foot.

Thusit Will be apparent thatdepending .upon which surface of the pad is to come in contact with .the foot, and thus upon which Waythe: goose neck is looped the same identical blanksmay be:utilized to-provide a pad individual toeither the right or left foot. By this means, economy of manufacture is greatlyreduced.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated the pad structure above described, and particularly the left foot padv of Fig. 4 equipped with an added cushioning element 7 cemented or equivalently secured .to .the upper or foot contacting face of the pad. This element 7 may be made of; any suitable cushioning material, such as foam latex, soft, felt, and the like, and may be attached to the pad carryingthe loop in such a manner as to provide a curvate contour as clearly seen in Fig. 6 to the structure whereby the foot contacting face is concave to receive therein the intermediate metatarsalhheads and provide added cushioning to that part of the foot. Such arrangement is particularly desirable for the alleviation of callosities.

Obviously, the blank structure need not be of the specific shape illustrated but may vary in contour within reason depending upon the size desired andjust what portion of the foot the resultant pad is to contact. When placed in position with the loop engaged over the proper toe or, digit, the pad is held in'position on the .foot by the hose and-shoe of theuser:

From .the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a very economical form of surgical pad provided with a digitloopofiset from the plane-of the pad so as to evenly and smoothly circumscribe a digit Without buckling or wrinkling; and also that I have providedv a highly economical and facile method of making such a pad.

It will be understood that modifications and ;variations may be .eifected without departingfrom the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention as defined by the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A surgical pad for attachment to the. human body made from a blank of material comprisinga body portion having a notch therein, a goose-neck portion extending- 4'. outwardly and laterally from said notch,and"a head on the free end of said goose-neck having a contour complemental to said notch, wherein the turning of the head a full revolution with respect to said body portion and inserting it and securing it to the edges of said notch fashions the neck portion into a digit loop upstanding from the plane of the body portion 2. A blank for a surgical pad having a digit loop, comprising'a body: portion having a notch therein, a goose neck projecting from one side of said notch," and a ter minal end on said goose neck having a contour .complemental to that of said notch.

3. A blank for a surgical pad having a digit loop, I comprising a body portion having a notch therein, a

goose neck projecting outwardly from'oneside of said notch and then laterally-away from: said notch, and a terminal end on said goose neck having a contour complemental to said notch.

4. A blank for a surgical pad having a digit loop, com

prising a body portion having a notch therein, a goose neck projecting outwardly from one side of said notch and then laterally-awayfrom said notchjand a terminal end on said goose'neck having a contour complemental to said notch, saidnotch being so located that the goose heck projects outwardly to one side of the median line';

of the body portion.

5. The method of making a surgical pad having an upstanding digit loop thereon, including the steps of cutting a blank having a body portion with a notch therein and a goose neck extendingfrom' one side of I. the notch and terminating'in a free end having a contour complemental to the notch, then rotating the free end of the goose neck a full revolution back to the notch to twist the goose neck into an upstanding loop, and

securing the edges of said free end to the corresponding edges of the notch.

6. The method of making a surgical pad' having an upstanding digit loop thereon, including the steps of cutting. a blank having a body portion with a notch therein and a goose neck extending from one side of the notch and terminating in a free end having a contour complementalto the notch, said goose neck being to one side'of the median line of the body portion, turning either side of the blank 'uppermost depending upon whether a left or right pad is desired, turning the free end of the goose neck a full revolution to twist the goose neck into an upstanding digit loop, and securing the edge of the free end to the corresponding edge of the notch.

References Cited in the tile of this patent Italy [Sept--13, 1933 r 

